If you've spent any time in the modified Mercedes scene you must have heard about the 190e M111 swap.
The M111 series of engines were a 4 cylinder block that came from the factory in a variety of late 90's and early 2000s Mercs.
They ranged from 1.8 to 2.3 in displacement and the best of the bunch was a 2.3 litre 16v supercharged variant making about 193bhp.
We love this engine because it's capable of making good power reliably puts up with plenty of abuse. Because this engine uses forced induction from the factory and came with EFI it has a lot of the right ingredients to start adopting modifications.
If you're trying to put one of these engines into a 190e chassis the first challenge you're going to have is mounting it in the engine bay.
If the engine position is too low in the bay;
- You could contact the front ARB
- Risk bottoming the oil sump on the road
If the engine is too high in the bay;
- You might have issues fitting the stock intake manifold under the bonnet
- Raises centre of gravity
- Have trouble mounting a larger frame turbo
And if the engine is too far forward or backwards;
- You'll have fitment issues with the prop
- Gearbox shift linkages may not work
- Be unable to accommodate a larger radiator or intercooler
- Contact the firewall
- Restrict space for downpipe
And clearly you want the engine to be centred for balance!
In our modified mercs parts shop you'll find the M111 to 190e engine arms/mounts here:
These will ensure that you don't face any of the issues above. When i fit these mounts during my swap i didn't even have to adjust the shift linkage on the gearbox, everything just lined up perfectly. For a bit of additional context on the fitment I also;
- Was able to accommodate a 3 inch downpipe
- Top mounted t4 frame turbo compressor housing
- Do not contact the bonnet anywhere
- Larger front mount intercooler and 2.3 16v radiator
Highly recommend!
